MobiHealthNews: Finnish health tech innovators feel the COVID-19 effect

Demand for tech solutions has soared in Finland during the pandemic as healthcare providers seek new ways to diagnose and treat patients, and source properly tested PPE.

By Piers Ford, MobiHealthNews, published 19 June 2020 (Photo above: Riku Pihlanto/City of Helsinki)

Finnish health tech businesses have enjoyed a pandemic lift with more than half reporting a positive impact during the spring as the crisis unfolded, according to a survey carried out by Health Capital Helsinki, the alliance that supports growth, collaboration and international investment in the country’s innovator community.

The alliance asked the 57 SMEs on its list of Finnish COVID-19-related health tech innovators about the effect of the pandemic on their business, strategy and future plans. While 53% of 30 respondents said the impact has been positive, there have also inevitably been some frustrations, with business disrupted by travel restrictions and the overwhelming demands on healthcare customers’ resources.

Innovators in remote healthcare, diagnostics and communications have been feeling the greatest benefits as the need for solutions, tests and equipment among healthcare providers and research laboratories escalated rapidly during the early stages of the pandemic.